


Ideals

by asuma



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Humor, Modern Royalty, Other, Romance, Royalty, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 13:51:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6959245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asuma/pseuds/asuma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Thus is the life of Chrom of House Exalt, Prince of the Kingdom of Ylisse. He wasn't born to bear the burden of his name, but damn, the crown is quite a heavy. Chrom has some loose ends to tie up before he could consider himself worthy of his sister's ideals.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ideals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Naga knows all he'll give you is a world full of trouble."

Upon awakening to the sound of Gaius' snoring at eight o'clock in the morning, Chrom became acutely aware of several indisputable truths.

  1. Golf carts do not belong in lakes.
  2. This place was a dump, which he was probably responsible for.
  3. He had the worst headache in the world. 
  4. The pervading feeling of failure was strong.



  
Groaning, he slowly sat up in bed, careful not to wake the sleeping figure beside him.  _She looks so peaceful when she's asleep_ , he thought to himself as he gently placed the covers over her. She stirred slightly and muttered something about pie before receding back into her slumber.

Chrom looked towards the source of the incessant snoring and crossed the room, avoiding the sheets and empty bottles strewn about the floor. He gave him a firm shake.

"Gaius."

"Hold on, sugar plum, everyone wants a fair share of the Candy Man," Gaius mumbled.

"Gaius, wake up," Chrom said, shaking him a little harder.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, cupcake, you'll get your piece soon..."

"Gaius, wake up!"

"Ah! Oh, it's just you, Blue. I didn't order a wake up call," the orange-haired man groggily rubbed his eyes. "I don't get a break from the studio that often, y'know."

"Gaius, can you tell me what happened last night? Barracks is trashed and all I really remember is something really bad happened to the golf cart last night."

Gaius slowly rose from his place on the floor, nonchalantly straightening out his button down shirt. He grabbed a bottle from the floor, gave it a lazy swirl, and took a sloppy swig from it as Chrom looked at him incredulously.

“Blue, Barracks is always a mess."

“That's beside the point, Gaius. What the hell happened? You didn't just sit here all night and watch us—"

"That's disgusting, Blue. I am way above that, thank you for asking," he said, taking another swig from the Rosanne Vintage.

Chrom grabbed the bottle from Gaius' hand before he could down any more of the expensive liquor. "You have to be sober in an hour and I need you to tell me what the hell happened last night."

Gaius scratched his head and scanned the room. It was definitely much more trashed than usual, but then again, the Barracks has seen so much worse. It wasn't his first time sleeping on the floor, by any account, but if the throbbing in his head said anything, Gaius knew that they really screwed up last night. A quick inspection of the room only showed that several of their regular fellow debauchees and hedonists had not made it back to the Barracks. He certainly couldn't hear Vaike snoring away in the bathtub. 

_Or maybe they wanted to avoid bearing witness to the next biggest scandal. I wouldn't blame them this time around. But then again, why the hell am I here? If I was here all night, I really am a sick man. But these two couldn't have made this mess, so what..._

"Not quite sure where to start, to be honest, Blue. Not sure I even have the whole story. Might want to ask Stumbles over there when she's up and running. Do you want before we got here, before Vaike's disgrace of a performance, or before Sully landed a that guy in the hospital?"

"Sully did what?!"

"Guess I'm starting there."

* * *

It was about ten pm when Gaius received a mass text from Chrom, begging their ragtag group to head on over to Shepherds, their favorite bar and frequent hangout. This wasn't anything atypical. They often got together to waste time, seeing that most of them had way too much time on their hands.

What wasn't so typical was that Chrom was already flat out wasted by the time he got there.

"Gaius, it's all on me!" Chrom yelled as he entered the bar. "Drink as  _much_ as you want!"

Sumia was already quite giggly, sitting on Chrom's lap and lazily whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Vaike and Sully were engaged in an arm wrestling match across the bar, yelling obscenities at each other. Miriel was taking full advantage of the open bar, as it seemed. Stahl awkwardly waved at Gaius, still sober.

 _I'm too sober and tired for this_ _._ Gaius thought to himself. He took his usual place next to Chrom.

"So I see Stumbles is with us tonight. How'd you convince her to join us wild shepherds for once?" Gaius asked, ordering a glass of beer on tap. Chrom rarely picked up the tab for everyone, but even if he probably wasn't in the right state of mind, Gaius would still take full advantage of it Chrom was by no means starved for money.

Sumia laughed heartily and poked Gaius in the nose. "He didn't have to convince me, silly! We're all just having a little fun tonight."

“Uh-huh, Stumbles. You be careful, you hear? Don't let Blue pull any funny business tonight— don't want him breaking stuff tonight," Gaius said, grabbing his cheap glass of beer.

“Hey, things don't get broken  _that_ easily around me anymore. I haven't broken anything here in the past month," Chrom said, looking pretty proud of himself.

“That can be attributed to the precautionary measures this fine establishment has instituted to prevent further demolition," Miriel interjected garishly.

“WHAT? From what you just said I understood "fine," and that's about it!" Vaike yelled as wrist smashed down against the bar by Sully.

“She means the place is Chrom-proofed. Vaike, you're buying me my next drink!" Sully hooted, getting up from her seat and high-fiving all the present Shepherds. Chrom looked to Miriel and his childhood friend in disbelief and watched as his plus one for the night laughed. He wasn't about this let her believe him to be an awkwardly clumsy person.

“I'm not that bad, I swear. They're just messing with you, love," he said sheepishly, grabbing her hand in reassurance.

“Whatever you say," she laughed, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "It's not like I'm any better."

Gaius rolled his eyes as he took another sip of his beer. Couples. Ugh. In truth, he would have shown up as soon as Chrom had sent out the text, had he not been held up at the studio. He was through with couples and their public displays of affection and being cast into romantic comedies. Sure, it paid his bills and endeared him as the country's rising star heartthrob, but in truth, he saw himself more of an action hero kind of guy. He had even trained as a stunt man when he had first decided to make it big in Ylisstol's entertainment industry. 

Besides the point, it seemed his friend was out of commission and wasn't going to be very good conversation for tonight. He didn't fault Sumia for it, but Chrom was definitely a much better conversationalist when he wasn't around ladies. Chrom hadn't been so caught up in making such huge obvious efforts to attempt to impress women since... his last girlfriend. Gaius couldn't even remember whether Chrom had even gone through such lengths for her, and by all accounts, he was also thoroughly disgusted by how in love those two were.

“You better be careful, Stumbles," Gaius muttered as he drank. "You really could do so much better than Blue. Naga knows all he'll give you is a world full of trouble."

"Did you say anything, Gaius?" Sumia asked, her face blushed a bright rouge. She really was out of it. To Gaius's understanding, despite being esteemed as one of Ylisse's clumsiest, Sumia really took to the dignified mannerisms of her adoptive family, the nobles of the House of Aurai. Their nobility was no joke, either. House Aurai was historically known for being the house that birthed queens, the most famous being Queen Shiida if the Marthian legend is taken for historical fact. Chrom may have been Ylisse's only prince, but for all her beauty and virtue, Gaius couldn't quite understand how Chrom had managed to convince her to see him.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, cupcake. Just enjoy yourself tonight," Gaius said. She pouted, unsatisfied, but said nothing of it. "Though I am wondering... Yo Blue, what's the occasion? Why are you all so happy-go-lucky this fine evening? You were going off the other day on how we should be drinking less and keeping ourselves out of trouble because your folks aren't so appreciative of you plastering headlines on covers of the Pegasus every morning."

Chrom wrapped his arm firmly around Sumia's shoulders, swaying as he laughed. "We all deserve a little trouble making and drinking, friend. And besides, who cares if I end up on the cover of the Pegasus again? By this point, everyone simply expects it from the likes of me."

"Woah there, princey. Normally I would agree with you and and act as your faithful enabler and poor influence, but you need to stop pushing your luck on this. I'm too sober not to be your conscience tonight, and honestly, you told me to hold you back if I could," Gaius said, putting his hands on the prince's shoulders and looking him dead in the eye. Chrom only responded with idle laughter, reaching out to the counter for another beer. Gaius glared and tightened his grip. "Look at me, focus on me. You were worried the other day about being kicked out of the family and whatever else you were complaining about and... Stahl! Please back me up and hep me. You seem to be the only rational person in the room at the moment."

Stahl shrugged as he looked up from his phone. "I tried my best before you got here. He's gone off the deep end this time, and all we can do is damage control. He wasn't even listening to me when he started drinking around seven."

_Seven? That isn't usual. Something has to be on his mind._

"Look, Chrom, buddy, you aren't alright. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me. I'll take you back to the Barracks," Gaius said, tugging his friend's arm. "I can even give you a ride back to your place, Stumbles."

Chrom gave him an incredulous look. "Frederick would be angry if I spent the night at the Barracks again. Stop worrying and loosen up! It's not every day that all drinks are on me— Kellam, long time no see! When did you get here? Have a drink!"

"I've been here for a while, Captain..."

Gaius shook his head vigorously. If he was going to have to be the friend who was put together tonight, so be it.

"You're coming with me, Blue, whether you—"

"Ah most fortuitous fortune! 'Sully'! How divine! A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly. Will you marry me, my dearest Sully?"

"How's THIS for an answer?!"

"Sully don't—"

Stahl could only watch in horror as Sully's boot connected with the Roseannian man's face.

* * *

The next mistake was entrusting Chrom to Vaike. Or, entrusting anything to Vaike in general.

Gaius groaned as he sat in the hospital waiting room. It had taken much too long for the combined efforts of Stahl and himself to placate Sully enough to get her to sign for this stranger's medical expenses. 

"It was completely his fault, Chuckles.  _He_ should be signing this nonsense."

"He's knocked out cold. He can't sign anything."

She smiled, clearly satisfied with her work. "Point taken."

Stahl came out of the door, letting out a breath of relief.

"He's going to be fine, and it seems he's not going to press any charges. Sully, you're in the clear. We're not going to have to worry about starting the next international scandal in the headlines."

She pumped her fist at the small victory. "Serves him right!"

Stahl shook his head. "Can you please refrain from putting people in the hospital? I happen to work here. They're becoming less keen on me bringing in more patients."

"It's only the third time, and this guy was really bothering me. He deserved it!"

Gaius picked up his phone as the two bickered about hospital visits and insurance.

"Kellam? What happened? I thought I told Vaike to watch— Blue, you idiot!"

Hanging up his phone, he quickly put on his jacket and stormed out the door.

* * *

"I swear I tried to stop them, but they were already too riled up to even see my reasoning... or to even see me in general," Kellam said as Gaius quickly strode through the green.

"What the hell is Blue thinking? His sisters and Frederick are going to have his head on a stick if he gets out of this unscathed. I swear, this is the worst night to be sober. Where're Specs and Stumbles?"

"They're not driving with them, thank Naga—"

"Let Teach show you how it's done!"

"Think again!"

This had to be the stupidest thing the two have challenged each other too since trying to out-casserole each other in the Barracks kitchen. Gaius stared incredulously as two golf carts jumped several feet in the air off a hill.

"FOR YLISSE!" Chrom yelled, the golf cart landing roughly on the grass. 

The Vaike wasn't so lucky, his cart flying quite a longer distance than Chrom's as he laughed like a child.

"Looks like Teach just got tenue!" he teased as he stuck out his tongue at Chrom's glaring face.

"Vaike, watch out!" Kellam yelled, the man's golf cart landing straight into the lake. Chrom disembarked his golf cart and ran towards the lake as the others regrouped.

"May Naga have mercy on his unworthy, petulant soul, and may his memory be ingrained into our ineberated consciences. Ah, how distinct a memory is his, I can still hear his caterwauling," Miriel said, shifting her glasses matter-of-factly.

"That's 'cause I'm not dead, lady!" a muffled voice yelled from the lake. "Don'tcha worry, I got th—"

"Hold on Vaike, I'm coing for you!" Chrom yelled, jumping into the lake.

"Chrom, be careful!" Sumia cautioned, wringing her hands.

When the two surfaced, Chrom dropped Vaike unceremoniously on the shore, panting for breath, the Vaike coughing his lungs out.

"I'm, cough, telling you, cough, I'm fi—"

"You probably swallowed half the lake, Vaike! You're not fine! You could have died!" Chrom yelled, attempting to dry himself off. He looked towards Kellam, Miriel, and Gaius.

"You three. Take him to the hospital," he said tersely. "I'm going back to the Barracks."

"Chrom, I don't need to go to the hospital. Teach is perfectly fine!" Vaike said, slowly getting up on his feet. Chrom shook his head.

"Go."

* * *

After going through the process of admitting Vaike to the hospital and paying Miriel to stay on watch, Gaius found his way back to the Barracks. He fumbled through his pocket for his keys, tiredly unlocking the door. As much as he would have liked to go home and forget tonight's events to ready himself for tomorrow's shoot, his worry for Chrom trumped that. He had told Sumia to call a cab and take Chrom home, but for all he knew, that may have been a stupid idea.

He opened the door and heard a clang at his feet. Gaius wrinkled his nose at the acrid stench of alcohol.

_This place is trashed._

The window was cracked open, allowing a slight breeze to flutter the curtain.

They were seated on the ground, surrounded by broken glass. Chrom's face nuzzled into the crook of Sumia's neck, her hands stroking the length of his back. Sumia looked up at Gaius with concerned eyes. She seemed unharmed.

"Blue," Gaius said.

The young man sniffled into Sumia's neck, refusing to acknowledge Gaius.

Gaius crouched and mouthed "What happened?"

Sumia came closer to Gaius's ear and whispered, his eyes widening at the response. He nodded and placed a strong hand on Chrom's back.

"I'm here, Blue. I'm here."

* * *

"I'm sorry, Blue. I really am," Gaius said as his friend embraced him.

"Don't apologize. It can't be true. It can't..."

Chrom grabbed the remote from the bedside table and turned on the television. He stared at the television, mesmerized as Anna Coin spoke. "In a stunning turn of events, Emmeryn Exalt had taken her life, averting the hostage situation in Plegia. Plegian officials are offering armistance, their military force divided, their economy and government in shambles. Let us take a moment of silence for our fallen queen."

The prince, the thespian, and the sleeping maiden did not stir.

Anna looked toward the camera with such a sincerity unlike the normal entertainment she normally sold.

"Thank you. From Ylisse to you, Emmeryn the Serene Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse, you have fulfilled your title in every sense of the word. With a heavy heart, following our tradition of transition, I respectfully announce from the hearts of Ylisseans: Long live Chrom, Crown Prince of Ylisse."

Chrom shut the television.

"Chrom..."

"She called yesterday morning. She told Lissa not to cry. She thanked Frederick. She told me to stay strong."

Chrom clenched his fist and hit it against the wall. Hard.

"I have failed her."

Gaius shook his head.

"You have yet to."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you have any suggestions on how to improve, just let me know! 
> 
> But yes, welcome to my take on a modern royalty au.
> 
> Aurai -- Greek nymphs of the breezes, daughters of the Greek wind gods


End file.
